That second day starts pretty much like any others.
I feel a light headache, which is not something I am used to. On the other hand, my limbs feel strangely relaxed. What kind of night did I just have?
I find a note taped to my desk, next to my bed.
Hello lil'bro, I will have to get out earlier today. You get your breakfast downstairs.
Thanks for listening yesterday.
Much love-
Ah, so maybe the secret is to listen to her from time to time, hm?
"See? No need for any magic stuff in my life," I mutter to my finger, where the ring still rests.
At any rate, I walk down, eat my eggs and I get ready for school. I know it is not going to be a good day at all, but at least I can get some respite when I go back home tomorrow.
Once I reach the gate, I hold a breath, knowing this is going to be another hard day, very hard in fact.
I only have to resist a few hours. I cross the gate and glance at Claire. She's sitting with her gaggle of girlfriends, and no hunk in sight. Must be a slow day.
I don't want to look at her, no matter how hot she looks, but our eyes cross once again, and I lower my gaze just quickly enough to avoid another of her sneers.
I walk with my hands deep in my pocket and my gaze held down. Almost there. Just have to cross the door…
"Listen well, you peasant!" Claire's sharp voice calls out.
I freeze, as do the girls of her clique. They giggle, looking at how I stopped mid-step like a dumbass.
"Have a nice day," she says, and then goes back to typing on her phone.
What?
She's the school's head bitch in charge, and she just wished me to have a good day?
Me? The literal scum, of the earth?
It must be a ploy. Judging from her smile, it must be her trying to get her boyfriend angry.
Speaking of which, better make myself scarce before one hundred pound of beef and half a pound of brain starts to sniff the air and look for me.
It can't be. It can't be.
It can't be.
That's not how things work. Should I just call Grandpa and ask if he's playing a fast one on me? I don't even have his number… of know if he even has a number.
"I don't believe you!" I mutter looking at the ring. My ring. The ring of good luck.
What kind of good luck can I hope for? I could really go for some of that.
Thinking like this, I stumble into class and find Tina standing next to my spot.
"Uh." I look away. "Sorry."
"Hey runt," she growls. "Follow me."
I obey, if only because I don't want to cause a scene. What other kind of poison does she want to spew at me?
We reach the same spot as yesterday and once again she pushes me against the wall.
"Hey."
"H-Hey."
"I'm sorry."
"W-W-What?"
"I'm sorry for that I said yesterday." It's hard to see through her tan, but Tina is… blushing? "I am not mad at you. Wanna… uh… I have to buy a new pair of training shoes. Wanna come with me to the store tomorrow?"
I can't believe it! What the fuck is going on?
"I… uh." Say yes! Say yes, you stupid motherfucker! "Y-Yes, I would love to!"
"Great!" She beams with happiness, leaning forward to give me a hug. It's the second one I receive in less than a day and it feels just as amazing as the first.
Tina leaves, blushing furiously and I stand in the hallway, transfixed, for a few moments.
What the heck…
I look down at my ring. Does that mean…
"You actually work?"
The ring seems to glisten – the light around it growing dim for just a moment, like a reverse flash. Maybe I imagined that.
But surely I did not imagine the rest! The ring works!
Ecstatic, a wide smile on my face, I slowly get out of the empty hallway, only to notice something weird going on.
It's the Principal. He's standing there in the main corridor, looking at someone I can't see, who's just behind him. I can't understand what they are talking about as he's whispering as he bows lightly at the person he's talking with.
Weird.
I turn and walk back to the class. I doubt the ring can save me from his fury if he finds me in the hallway after the lesson has started.
But the person he was talking with… a girl more or less my age, dressed in a grey suit, with long platinum-blonde hair falling down to her hips… who could she be? I have never seen her at school before.
And as it turns out, any expectations I could have would get blown out of the fucking water.